he chain. If we are trying to love and serve Jesus, we
need not be afraid of this roaring lion. He cannot touch us till our
Saviour gives him permission; and he will not let him hurt us. We see
this illustrated in Job's case. Satan wanted very much to injure Job
in some way. But he could not do it. And the reason of it was, as he
said himself, that God had "put an hedge about him, and about his
house, and about all that he had on every side." Job i: 10. This
hedge, or fence, means the power which Jesus exercises to protect his
people from the harm that Satan desires to do to them. In this way he
protected Job. And in this way he protects all who love and serve
him.

Let us take an illustration or two to show how he is doing this
continually.

"Providential Deliverance." One of the best men, and one of the most
useful ministers in London, during the last century, was the Rev.
John Newton. Before entering the ministry he held an office under
the government. One of the duties of this office was for him to visit
and inspect the vessels of the navy as they lay at anchor in the
river Thames. One day he was going out to visit a man-of-war that lay
there. He was a very punctual man. When he had an engagement he was
always ready at the very moment. But when he reached the dock on this
occasion the boat which was to take him off to the man-of-war was not
there. He was obliged to wait five, ten, fifteen minutes before the
boat came. This displeased him very much. But the hand of God was in
this delay. For, just as the boat was leaving the dock, a spark fell
into the powder magazine on board the man-of-war. An explosion took
place. The huge vessel was blown to pieces, and all the men on board
of her were killed. That delay of a quarter of an hour saved Mr.
Newton's life. In this way that gracious Saviour whom he served
protected him from the danger to which he was exposed.

"Willie's Heroism." One summer afternoon a teacher told her geography
class that they might close their books and rest a little, while she
told them a story. The story was about William Tell, the famous hero
of Switzerland. She told the scholars how a wicked governor placed an
apple on the head of Tell's little boy and then compelled the father
to take his bow and arrow and shoot the apple from the head of his
son. He was very unwilling to do it, for he was afraid the arrow
might miss and kill his child. But the brave boy stood firm, and
cried out--"Shoot, f